Man Shocked After Finding Strange Object Inside His Late Brother-in-Law’s Ashes
NEW YORK — A man was left stunned after finding a mysterious object among his late brother-in-law’s ashes — a discovery that has puzzled both family members and professionals in the funeral industry.
The anonymous man shared the unusual find in a viral Reddit post, explaining that his sister keeps a small, portable container of her late husband’s cremated remains so she can take him with her on vacations they once planned to share. But recently, while helping her, he noticed something strange nestled inside the ashes.
“My sister put some of her husband’s ashes in a portable container to take with her on trips they wanted to take together,” he wrote. “She has no idea what this object could be.”
The photo he posted — showing a small, round metallic-looking piece among the remains — quickly sparked thousands of comments, with users offering possible explanations ranging from hospital equipment to clothing remnants.
Experts Weigh In on the Mystery Object
The post received more than 21,000 upvotes and 1,100 comments, drawing attention from several people who work in cremation services and mortuaries.
One crematory operator offered a surprising theory, suggesting the object could be a button from a hospital gown that accidentally made it through the cremation process.
“During the beginning of processing the cremated remains, the bones are sifted to remove all metal objects,” the operator explained. “Do things like this get missed? Sometimes they do. But an intact snap in your cremated remains is crazy — the heat should have destroyed it.”
Another commenter who identified as a former crematorium operator agreed it was unusual for something like that to survive intact. “My guess is a button from a pair of pants or a coat,” they wrote. “They usually look like that.”
A mortician added that the object could be a button from a transport bag — the type often used to move bodies before cremation. “Occasionally, these are cremated along with the body,” they explained. “During processing, metal is usually removed, but it could have been missed in this case.”
Why Metal Objects Sometimes Remain After Cremation
According to funeral experts, the cremation process typically reaches temperatures of 800 to 1000°C, reducing the body and casket to bone fragments and ash. Metal implants, jewelry, and other materials are usually separated after cooling.
However, small metal components — such as buttons, zippers, or snaps — can sometimes survive. Crematories often recycle leftover metal through specialized programs, with proceeds donated to charity.
The Daily Record reports that finding such items among ashes is rare but not impossible, especially if the object was embedded in clothing or a transport bag that wasn’t fully removed before cremation.
Found in my Bro-inlaw's ashes
byu/Soggy_Property3076 inwhatisit
What to Do If You Find an Object in a Loved One’s Ashes
Experts recommend contacting the crematory or funeral home directly if any unexpected objects are found. Staff can help identify the material and explain whether it poses any concern.
While some families choose to discard such items, others prefer to keep them as mementos, viewing them as a final connection to their loved one.
As one mortician commented on Reddit, “These things happen more often than people think — it doesn’t mean anything sinister. It’s just a small reminder that even in the most sterile processes, a little piece of humanity sometimes stays behind.”
Have you ever encountered something unexpected while handling a loved one’s ashes? Share your experience and follow SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com for more human-interest and lifestyle news from across the U.S.
